In a day of escalating political tensions across Punjab, leaders and workers of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) staged protests outside the residences of several prominent opposition figures. The demonstrations targeted SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal in village Badal, BJP Punjab president Ashwani Sharma in Pathankot, and Congress MLAs Pargat Singh in Jalandhar and Sukhpal Singh Khaira in village Ramgarh, Bholath.
The Spark: A Controversial Video
The protests were triggered by the four leaders sharing a video featuring Delhi minister Atishi. Both the Punjab Police and the AAP have claimed that this video was doctored. Demanding legal action, AAP supporters carried placards and raised slogans against the leaders for circulating the alleged fake content.
Confrontation in Jalandhar
The protest outside Congress MLA Pargat Singh's residence in Jalandhar took a particularly dramatic turn. Led by Punjab minister Mohinder Bhagat and AAP Jalandhar central constituency in-charge Nitin Kohli, the protesters demanded Pargat's arrest. Their placards bore strong messages, labeling the Congress as "anti-Sikh" and accusing it of insulting the Gurus.
In a bold counter-move, Pargat Singh emerged from his house and challenged the AAP leaders to a direct debate. Although police officers prevented him from approaching the crowd, which was held at a distance, he launched a verbal offensive. He dared the AAP leadership to engage with him publicly, stating he stood alone and was ready to answer any question.
"I stand here alone—come, debate with me. If any one of you can answer even a single question, I will take responsibility," he declared to the media. He warned the local AAP workers that their Delhi-based leaders would eventually leave, but they would have to remain in Punjab and answer to its people.
Allegations and Counter-Allegations
Pargat Singh did not hold back in his accusations. He claimed he and Sukhpal Khaira were being targeted for exposing the failures of the AAP government. He asserted he was not afraid of intimidation, even if Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former minister Manish Sisodia filed "10 FIRs" against him.
Shifting the blame, the Congress MLA argued that the content in the controversial video originated from AAP itself. He suggested any editing or manipulation was the work of the BJP, alleging a "joint political game" between the two parties. "When the forensic report is due in just 15 days, why is AAP Punjab acting in such haste?" he questioned.
Pargat Singh further challenged the AAP government on its law and order record. He demanded clarity on the complainant, Iqbal Singh, and questioned why no concrete steps had been taken in cases of sacrilege. He also referenced a leaked audio involving a Patiala SSP and the unsolved murder of a sarpanch at a wedding, questioning the government's inaction on these fronts.
He saved some of his harshest criticism for the Punjab Police top brass, accusing the DGP and senior officers of "surrendering" to the AAP's "wrongful" diktats. He told the police officials present to either let him speak to the protesters directly or bring them to him.
